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About
Belgaum |
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Belgaum is a city and a municipal corporation in Belgaum
district in the Karnataka state of India. It is the fourth
largest city in the state of Karnataka, after Bengaluru,
Hubli-Dharwad, and Mysore. Belgaum is located at 15.87°N
74.5°E. It has an average altitude of 751 metres (2463 feet).
The city is located in the northwestern parts of Karnataka and
lies at the border of two states, Maharashtra and Goa on the
western ghats (50 km from the Goa state border). It is one of
the oldest towns in the state, lying at a distance of 502 km
from Bangalore, 515 km from Hyderabad and 500 km from Mumbai.
Belgaum is situated about 2,500 ft (762 m) above sea level and
is the headquarters of Belgaum district, which borders the
states of Maharashtra and Goa. Belgaum is also the
headquarters for the Belgaum division. The division comprises
the districts of Bagalkot, Belgaum, Dharwad, Haveri, Bijapur,
Uttara Kannada and Gadag. The Government of Karnataka has
proposed making Belgaum the second capital of the State of
Karnataka; a second state administrative building Suvarna
Vidhana Soudhawas inaugurated on 11 October 2012. |
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Climate of Belgaum |
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Belgaum has a tropical climate. It is known for its pleasant
year-round climate. Belgaum is at its coldest in winter
(November - February temperatures dropping to 9 degrees Celsius;
the minimum temperature in Karnataka state is usually recorded
in Belgaum,and it experiences almost continuous monsoon rains
from June till September. Belgaum sometimes receives hail storms
during April. |
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City names |
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Belgaum is the anglicized form of venugram, from the Sanskrit
Velugrama, for Venugrama, i.e., "Bamboo village" and belgav.Of
late, the city has carved itself a new name as "Kunda nagari"
because of its well-known sweet dish, Kunda, made with milk,
sugar and spices. The city is also known as the "Sugar Bowl of
Karnataka", and the district as the "Sugar District" because of
the huge scope of its sugarcane cultivation and production
facilities.
The name Belgaum had been intended to be changed to Belagaavi by
the Karnataka government. However, the central government has
not agreed to rename the city, as Belgaum is caught between
Karnataka and Maharashtra in a border dispute. One of the
centre's guidelines for renaming places is that the names should
not hurt people's emotions, not have political overtones and not
already be in use in any other state. |
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History of Belgaum |
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The Vadgoan and Madhavpur suburbs of Belgaum were
significant urban centres between 400 BC and 300 AD. The
present city was founded in the 12th century AD by the
Ratta dynasty, who were based at nearby Saundatti. The
fort of Belgaum was built in 1204 by a Ratta officer named
Bichiraja. Belgaum served as the capital of that dynasty
between 1210 and 1250, before the Rattas were defeated by
the Yadava Dynasty of Devagiri. Belgaum then briefly came
under the control of the Yadavas of Devagiri. The Khiljis
of Delhi attack the region at the turn of the 14th century
and succeeded in ruining both indigenous powers of the
region, the Yadava and the Hoysalas, without providing a
feasible administration. This lacuna was supplied by the
Vijayanagara Empire, which had become the established
power of the area by 1336. A century later, the town had
become a busy trading hub for diamonds and wood, owing to
its favourable geographic location in the kingdom.
In 1474, the Bahmani Sultanate, the ruler of Bidar,
captured the fort of Belgaum. Soon afterwards, in 1518,
the Bahamani sultanate split into five small states and
Belgaum became part of the Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur.
The Adilshahis strengthend the fort of Belgaum; much of
the existing structure dates from 1519. In 1686, the
Mughal emperor Aurangzeb overthrew the Bijapur sultanate
and Belgaum passed nominally to the Mughals. However, the
Mughal empire went into decline after the death of
Aurangzeb in 1707, and his principal detractors, the
Maratha confederacy, took control of the area during the
rule of the Peshwas ("prime ministers").
In 1776, the country was overrun by Hyder Ali of Mysore,
but was retaken by the Peshwa with British assistance. In
1818, the British deposed the last Peshwa and capture his
kingdom, which included Belgaum.Kitturu Chennamma
(1778–1829) was the queen of the princely state of Kittur
in Karnataka. In 1824, 33 years before the 1857 War of
Independence in Murree, she led an armed revolt against
the British in response to the Doctrine of lapse. The
battle ended in her martyrdom and she is remembered today
as one of the earliest Indian rulers to have fought for
independence.
Belgaum was chosen as the venue of the 39th session of the
Indian National Congress in December 1924 under the
presidency of Mahatma Gandhiji. The city served as a major
military setup for the British Raj, primarily due to its
closeness to Goa, which was then a Portuguese territory.
Once the British left India, the Indian government
continued and still continues to have armed forces systems
in Belgaum. In 1961, the Indian government, under Prime
Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, used forces from Belgaum to end
Portuguese rule of Goa.
Belgaum and its district became part of Bombay State when
India became independent in 1947. In 1956, the Indian
states were reorganised along linguistic lines by the
States Reorganisation Act and Belgaum District was
transferred to Mysore State, which was renamed Karnataka
in 1972.
In 2006, the Government of Karnataka declared that Belgaum
would be made the state's second capital and that the city
would be a permanent venue for the annual 15-day session
of the state legislature. |
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Tourist Attractions in Belgaum |
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Yellur Gad
Yellur Gad is a popular location which is visible from a long
distance ,it is on a hill surrounded by a circular wall,.
Jamboti
Jambiti is about 25 km to the south-west of Belgaum, it is a
famous tourist spot with its evergreen hilltop forests.
Siddeshwar Temple
Siddeshwar Temple is situated in Kanabargi village. It is a
well-known temple in a hill cave.
Hunshevari
Hunshevari is the holy place of the "Shree Revan Siddeshwar
Temple" which is located in the valleys of Kakati village about
7 kms from Belgaum city on the Pune-Bangalore national highway.
Belgaum Fort
Belgaum Fort dates back to 1519.Belgaum Fort is a huge
construction in the center of the town..
Kamal Basati
Kamal Basati is a Jain temple which is situated within the walls
of Belgaum fort.
Swami Vivekananand Smarak
Swami Vivekananand Smarak is a tourist place in Belgaum city at
a very quiet location.
Vajrapoha Falls
Vajrapoha Falls are located about 26 km from Belgaum on the
Mandovi river.
Places to visit around Belgaum
Amboli hill station
Amboli hill station is a little known coastal highland area
which is about 70 km from Belgaum, it is popular during the
monsoon season with its thick forests, curving misty ghats and
shades of vibrant green.
Dudhsagar Water Falls
Dudhsagar Water Falls are located about 105 kms from Belgaum, is
a scenic waterfall. The spot also provides various options for
trekkers. The best time to visit is during or soon after the
Monsoon.
Godchinamalaki Falls
It is a well-known tourist destination which is at a distance of
about 60 km from Belgaum. The falls are about 100 metres in
length, with a stepwise fall every 30 metres.
Sule bhavi Temple
Sule bhavi Temple is about 5 km away from Belgaum.
Gokak Falls
Gokak Falls is magnificent waterfall which is about 62 km from
Belgaum and 6 km from Gokak town.
International Golf Course
It is located at Desur, 10 km from the city. |
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Culture of Belgaum |
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Belgaum enjoys rich cultural diversity curtailing from its
closeness to the states of Goa and Maharashtra. The customs and
traditions of Belgaum have been influenced by both the Marathi
and Kannada cultures. Traditional dressing in rural Belgaum is
similar to the attires of people in the Maharashtra; the men
wear a turban with a long tailpiece at the rear and a dhoti (a
sarong worn in a manner that allows easier movement) and the
women wear saris. Both men and women have a strong preference
for the Kolhapuri chappal, which are handcrafted in the villages
near Ugar. However, in the city, the costumes are very much in
tune with modern urban India. |
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Cuisine of Belgaum |
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Belgaum is famous for its cross culture food, ranging from the
Bombay chaat to Chinese delicacies. Belgaum is also well-known
for its "kunda" and "Kalakand". A special sweet called "Mandige"
or "Maande" is a must during weddings.There are many kunda
manufacturers in and around Belgaum. "Purohit Sweets", among
others, has a good reputation.
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How to Reach Belgaum |
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By
Rail
Belgaum is located on the main Indian Railways network which is
now become a part of south western division. This beautiful
destination is well linked by rail to other major destinations
such as Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Bangalore, New Delhi Mysore,
Mangalore, Goa, and Chennai. Belgaum railway station is
considered as the oldest railway station in this region.
By Road
Belgaum is linked by road through the National Highways 4 which
basically connects Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and
Tamil Nadu. NH4A connects Karnataka and Goa. Travelers can
easily get numbers of KRTC run buses which link Karnataka with
various other neighboring states. There is wide range of
well-known private buses also which serve all major destinations
in Karnataka and nearby states. Like buses from Belgaum to
Mangalore, Goa, Bangalore etc.
By Air
The airport serving the city of Belgaum is at Sambra which is
located about 10 kms from the city on the SH20. |
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